Why do I get brain freeze?

Question

Everytime I eat ice cream i had terrible headaches( brain freeze), is it due to dehydration, immune system, cold temperature & lactic acid or dilation of arteries.

Answer 1

I dont know but i know i am two points from level three so thank you!

Answer 2

You'd be surprised to know that brain freeze actually starts from...the stomach!  Anyway, eating/drinking very cold food/drinks triggers nerves in our stomach which send pain signals to our brains.  It happens to everyone.  :)  PROOF: YOU CAN ACTUALLY HAVE BRAIN FREEZE EVEN IF YOU DRINK SOMETHING VERY COLD QUICKLY THAT IT DOESNT STAY IN YOUR MOUTH VERY LONG OR EVEN TOUCH THE TOP OF YOUR PALATE.   TO ANYONE WHO THINKS I'M WRONG: TRY IT.

Brain freeze, or its given scientific name Spheno Palatine Gangleoneuralgia is a term used to describe a form of cranial pain or headache which people are known to sometimes experience after consuming cold beverages or foods such as ice cream, slurpees, or margaritas, particularly when consumed quickly.

In laymans terms, it is the result of the constriction of blood vessels in the stomach when put in contact with cold fluids. The (pain) that you feel in your head is actually not occuring in your head at all but is diverted from your stomach to a nerve in your head which usually recieves this particular pain.

Answer 3

Brain freeze happens when something extremely cold (in your case it's ice cream) touches the top palate in your mouth. Suddenly, the blood vessels contract due to the cold. As the palate warms, the blood vessels enlarge and blood rushes back to the blood vessels. The nerves send a signal for pain to your brain and give you that brief headache that we call brain freeze.

There are many ways to try to stop brain freeze such as pushing your tongue up on the roof of your mouth, covering your mouth and breathing and drinking a warm beverage.

These all seem to help stop brain freeze because they're adding warmth to the roof of your mouth.

Eat ice cream slower, and the more melted the ice cream is (when it's at a lower temperature) the less chance you'll get brain freeze.

Answer 4

what do a gynocologist and pizza delivery person have in common?

They can both smell it but can't eat it! lolz

Answer 5

haha my friend's joke:    what do you say when you see your TV floating in the middle of the night?

DROP THAT TV NIGGUH!

Answer 6

Sorry to say, but that's not why you get brain freeze.

you get Brain freezes when something cold (ice cream) touches the top of your mouth. Try not letting a lot of the food touch the top and you shouldn't get the brain freezes any more.

Oh and if you do get brain freezes just get your thumb and press against the top of your mouth and it should go away. Works all the time for me :]  

Answer 7

dilation of your arteries is to blame - when you eat ice cream, it actually stimulates the back of your mouth because it's cold and the arteries spasm (contract), but after they close down, they relax (dilate), and that lets too much blood go to your brain, and you get the headache

How do you get rid of the painful ache? you should hold your tongue at the top of your mouth to warm it up between bites of ice cream.

Ian G - Brain freeze does not start from your stomach